1: Mother Goose, Tomboys, and a Monster

She rattled the top violently and let go. Chloe stepped back with her hands on her hips and glared at it. It was mocking her. She heaved a sigh and resumed prying at the latches.

"Let go!" she begged as she threw her weight into an almighty tug. "Aaaaugh!"

Chloe landed with a loud smack on her bedroom floor. She clenched her fists, narrowed her eyes, and looked at the trunk, still firmly closed.

The gold letters on the side of the trunk gleamed cheerfully at her. C.G. Potter, they read.

Chloe took a seat on the lid and rested her elbows on her knees. She really only had to put a few more things in the blasted thing. Of course it was being difficult. Chloe swung her foot moodily and noted with satisfaction that it made a very noisy thud on the side of the trunk. Good. She hoped she would break it.

Filled with new resolve, Chloe leapt off the lid and scampered to her bed and picked up an armful of folded robes, freshly pressed this morning.

"I've got clothes," she said in a tempting tone. "Now be a good trunk…and open on up. I haven't got mothballs, honest!"

She tried the latch carefully. It held fast. That did it. Chloe threw the clothes on the floor, swung her brown hair behind her angrily, and swiftly kicked the side of the trunk.

Click—creeeeeak. Bang!

Chloe's eyes widened as it flew open.

"Really!" she said huffily, picking up the clothes, "If that was all you needed…."

She was about to lay in her last set of robes when she thought she heard a noise. Chloe looked up sharply and held her breath. Shrugging it off as nothing, she double-checked the contents of her trunk.

There was that noise again. She gazed around her room, puzzled. It was a faint snuffling sound…like an animal or something.

"….socks, scales, owl treats, photographs…."

Chloe glanced quickly around the room then got on her hands and knees to look under her bed. Finding nothing, she frowned and got to her feet. Her gaze rested on her window seat. It was a relatively large window seat and had a hollowed inside for stowing away things. Chloe cocked her head, crept over to one of the cabinets on the side of the seat and threw it open.

A crumpled mass of robes, hair, and tears gazed up at her, hiccupping with sobs.

"James!" exclaimed Chloe. "What are you doing in here?"

James, Chloe's four-year old brother, gave a choked whimper at the sight of her and smeared at his light brown eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I don't want you to leave!"

Chloe felt the same twinge of guilt that had been bothering her for weeks. "I'm sorry Jamesy, but I have to go to school! Please come out!"

James shook the dust bunnies from his scruffy black hair, and burst into tears again as he shut the cabinet door, blocking himself from Chloe.

Chloe knocked on it gently.

"Yes?" James said, opening the door again.

"Will you come out and talk to me?"

"I'm going to stay in here forever and ever!" sobbed James.

"Why?"

"Because you're leaving me!" James shut the cabinet door again.

Chloe sank back onto her heels and sighed. She opened the adjacent door and crawled on her hands and knees into the window seat.

James was so startled he stopped crying for a moment and stared at her. Chloe pulled her feet in and shifted around in the cramped quarters. She hadn't been in here since she was six or seven. She wondered if she could still…

"Ow!" said Chloe, rubbing her head.

Nope. Not a chance. Even though Chloe was rather short, she had definitely outgrown this hideout. She remained lying on her side, her head propped up on her elbow, smiling at James, who could sit up quite nicely in the cabinet.

"You don't fit," he observed between hiccups.

"I do," said Chloe. "If I lie down."

"You're smashing the biscuits, Chloe," said James pointing to a plate of biscuits that Chloe hadn't noticed under her elbow.

"Sorry," she said shifting around a bit. "I'll admit though…it'll be a tight squeeze."

The crack of light that shone from the opening in the cabinet door was making a streak of light across James' face.

"What is?" he asked, completely forgetting his tears.

"I can live in this cabinet with you instead of going to school," said Chloe biting into a biscuit. "Why, I don't expect Mum and Daddy would notice."

She shifted her gaze to the train behind them and resisted the urge to bolt past him onto the train.

"…so is that clear?" Percy asked.

"Perfectly, clear," said Meghan quickly. She briefly wondered what she had agreed to and then dismissed the thought without any worries.

"Good girl," said Percy habitually, and Meghan knew he didn't really think she was a good girl. Heck, she knew she wasn't the good one. "Now say goodbye to everyone. You're running behind, Catherine and Mortimer are already on the train!"

Meghan looked exasperated. "We're the only people on the platform!"

Percy gave her a stern look. "Other families have their own time table. That is their concern. You're behind on the Weasley time-table. Tempus fugit!"

"Tempus fugit," muttered Meghan moodily under her breath. She sighed and held out her arms to embrace her father.

Percy smiled funnily at her for a moment and Meghan, who felt a wave of guilt pass over her hugged her father tightly and didn't let go for a little bit. She'd probably miss his lectures.

The normally staunch Minster of Magic actually looked a bit misty eyed as he pulled away. He cleared his throat and ushered her over to the rest of the family, minus her eldest sister and brother, who were indeed already on the train.

The seven remaining children stood in a neat line and waited for their chance to say goodbyes to Meghan. By the end of it, Meghan was furtively wiping her eyes and all together ready to get on the train before she did something embarrassing.

"All right then," said her mother putting an arm around Meghan's shoulders. "Are you ready?"

Meghan hugged her tightly. "I'm very ready."

"Be sure you behave yourself, and you'll be fine…." Penelope touched Meghan's nose and smiled at her fondly. "You're our independent one…I won't worry a wink about you getting homesick."

Meghan tossed her curls confidently and grinned.

"Hunter! Come back over here!" said Percy.

"Goodbye!" Meghan called as she stepped onto the train steps and waved.

Her brothers and sisters waved. "Goodbye!" they called.

~*~

"Have we got everything?" asked Harry worriedly.

"Everything," said Chloe, "besides, I'll owl home if I need anything."

"You'll owl us regardless," said Harry.

"Harry," Ginny intervened.

"I'll owl you, Daddy," promised Chloe, "and you too Jamesy."

James was still sobbing in Harry's arms as they walked in the station. He yowled an undistinguishable response.

"He'll be fine," said Ginny, she lowered her voice and smiled, "it's your father I'm worried about."

"Did it ever occur to you that your brother looks like he's leading a flock of geese?"

Ginny covered her mouth with her hands and burst out laughing. "Harry!" she said.

"I dare you to call Aunt Penny, Mother Goose," said Chloe wickedly.

~*~

They were still quite early, arriving at the platform at exactly ten o' clock.

Harry had done it on purpose, hoping to miss the crowds of other students boarding the train and drawing as little attention to himself and his family. His plan had worked; the station was practically empty.

A curious luggage loader was the only person around and he nearly tripped over himself as he took Chloe's luggage off the cart, trying to get a better look at Harry.

Ginny smoothed a long strand of brown hair out of Chloe's green eyes. "Promise me you'll stay out of some trouble."

Chloe laughed. "Just some?"

"You're bound to get in it anyway with Meghan, so I figured staying out of some trouble was better than none at all."

"Try not to stress Aunt Hermione out too much," said Harry, "but let out all the stops with…."

Ginny interrupted him. "Professor Granger. You know she doesn't play favorites, try not to call her Aunt Hermione. As for ProfessorSnape, don't get on his bad side, even though your father would be delighted if you were."

"I was going to say Professor Lu—"

"Enough," said Ginny firmly, she smiled and took Harry's hand.

James tugged on Chloe's skirt and looked up at her sniffling. "Promise we'll finish reading Alice in Wonderland when you get home?"

"Promise," said Chloe with a nod. "We won't skip any of it."

James gestured for Chloe to come nearer and he stood on his tiptoes and whispered in her ear. "Good. Daddy is really horrible at the voices. He uses the same one for the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat."

With one last wave to her family, Chloe bounded up the train steps, cheeks flushed with excitement.

~*~

Chloe shouldered her bag and smoothed the pleats of her skirt as she walked down the train corridor. She couldn't help the wide grin spreading across her face as she reminded herself that she was actually on the Hogwarts Express.

The glass on the other sliding doors shuddered as one of the doors slid open loudly. Chloe saw her best friend skid out of one of the compartments and run towards her.

Meghan hit her with a solid thump, the girls laughed and linked arms.

"I can't believe it's today!" said Meghan with a delighted skip. "I mean, after all the imagining we've done to try and guess what Hogwarts would be like, we're finally going to find out."

"It's going to be so wonderful!" said Chloe.

"Well, I'm really glad you're here early. Catherine and Mortimer are making me sit with their friends. I'm about to scream with boredom. I never really thought I could find anyone more boring than the—."

"Their friends are here early too? I thought my Dad only made me go early because he wanted to avoid crowds…."

"They wouldn't have a problem with that," said Meghan rolling her eyes, "I just think they're…what's the word?"

"Overly prompt?" suggested Chloe.

"Saps," said Meghan, shaking her head.

Chloe giggled. "Thanks for the warning."

"Right, here we are…please don't let us get stuck with them…okay?"

Chloe nodded and slid open the door.

Catherine and Mortimer were sitting with three other kids that looked up at them when they opened the door.

"Well, Meghan, I see you've brought Chloe back," said Mortimer in a cool voice, "after you ran out of here rather…rudely. I know Father would be appalled."

"She's just very excitable," said Catherine to a blonde girl sitting next to her with neatly plaited hair. "She'd run everywhere if Father and Mum let her."

The blonde girl nodded in a very sympathetic manner. "Is this your cousin?"

"I'm Chloe," said Chloe stepping into the compartment and shaking the girl's hand.

"Betsy Montgomery," said the girl.

"This is William and Benjamin Biddle," said Mortimer motioning towards his friends. Chloe noted that they were identical twins. "I don't think Meghan had time to meet them, before she ran out of the compartment like a wild hea—."

"Pleased to meet you," said Chloe interrupting him.

Meghan stepped next to her and grasped the twin's hands. "Ben and Bill Biddle. Got it."

Chloe noticed that Catherine and Mortimer looked mutinous. She really couldn't help but think that they had really asked for it. They couldn't really have expected for Meghan to start being, --well, them-- for the sake of their friends.

"So," said William clearing his throat. "I expect you're eager to start school?"

Chloe and Meghan stared. "Er. Yes."

Talk about an understatement, thought Chloe.

Betsy smiled at them. "I really like your hair, Meghan. Does it curl like that naturally?"

"I'm the only one with curly hair, except Mum," said Meghan, "the others have straight hair like Cath's and Morty's ."

"I see," said Betsy sounding mildly interested, "I see why Catherine said you're the different one."

Chloe opened her mouth to tell Betsy that Meghan's curly hair was not the reason that Catherine called her different, but Betsy continued talking.

"Do you sew?" she asked.

Chloe and Meghan paused and looked at each other blankly. "Sew what?"

Betsy beamed and reached into her bag and displayed a piece of scarlet fabric with a few things appliquéd on it. "Catherine and I are making book bags."

"For fun?" asked Meghan, "I didn't know that, Cath. No wonder you were holed up in your room all summer!"

"I was not holed up, Meghan," replied Catherine, "I simply didn't go outside and get sunburned to a crisp, like you. You're going to be very sorry when you ruin your complexion."

Betsy nodded at Chloe and Meghan. "The sun is very bad on your skin. I stay indoors during the summer."

Chloe looked horrified. "How do you play Quidditch? Or go swimming or…."

"I don't play Quidditch," replied Betsy, brushing an invisible speck of dirt off her tights, "it's far too dangerous to play! Girls who play Quidditch really don't get the greatest reputations. Mum calls them tomboys."

"We'll go check! Maybe this year she will be!" said Meghan grabbing Chloe's wrist and bolting out the compartment again.

"Nice to meet you," called Chloe over her shoulder as she was whisked into the hallway.

~*~

"Were they boring or what?" said Meghan setting her bag down and grinning.

"They were pretty…boring," agreed Chloe, pulling her feet under her. "I'm not a tomboy because I like Quidditch!"

Meghan's playful blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "Nope. They're just prisses. I don't exactly like Quidditch, but I'd start playing if that's what it took to not be like them."

"Well, at least they occupy themselves…making…um… things."

"It's not our fault we're us anyway," said Meghan innocently. "It's also not our fault that Morty and Catherine are such sticks in the mud and they've made it our job to make up for the Weasley name. Plus, you're a Potter. Your dad wants you to cause trouble."

"He didn't say that!" said Chloe with a grin.

"He implied it," said Meghan.

"Well, he's the one that told me stories…."

"Guess what my mum gave me!" said Meghan.

"A lecture?"

"No," said Meghan making a smirking face at her. "Look!"

Meghan loosened a small bag around the top of her knapsack and pulled out a small jet-black kitten.

Chloe let out a delighted cry. "Let me see!"

Meghan proudly handed over the kitten, which fit easily into Chloe's palms.

"He's so tiny!" said Chloe. "Look at his little face! Why'd you get him?"

"Mum surprised me. She said we had too many family owls. She saw the kitten and thought of me."

"That was nice!" said Chloe nuzzling the kitten. She stroked the kitten's tiny head with one finger and noted that even its little sniffling nose was jet black. "What's his name?"

"Her name," said Meghan kissing the top of the kitten's head, "is Monster."

Chloe stared at her best friend and laughed. "She's not a Monster! She's positively angelic!"

The kitten gave a tiny yawn and fell over in Chloe's lap with a clumsy plop.

"Hmph," said Meghan. "I don't see your point. Your last name is Potter. Technically you ARE related to your dad, adopted or not. You're also a witch. What's the worry?"

Chloe sighed. Meghan knew the story, but it didn't sound like she was going to understand.

When Chloe was five-years old her biological father, Dudley Dursley, had written to Harry Potter, asking for a visit, this was unusual, because Harry had hated the Dursleys and had vowed never to see them again. The feeling had been mutual until the arrival of Dudley's letter and the discovery that Dudley's daughter, was a witch. Harry agreed to take Chloe out of the cruel care of the Dursleys and adopted her as his own daughter. Later, Harry had married Ginny Weasley, Chloe's new nursery school teacher, and Harry's long time friend.

"What if I don't make it into Gryffindor? I mean, since I'm not really a Potter. I don't automatically get into Gryffindor."

"Who cares? I'd kill to be in a house besides Gryffindor!"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "And why is that, Meg?"

"Well," said Meghan with a smirk, "the way I see it, the Weasley family is in a Gryffindor rut. It should be my job to start spreading the Weasleys to all the other houses. I would kill to see the look on my dad's face when he found out I was sorted into Hufflepuff!"

Chloe smiled weakly. She knew Meghan was only joking. Meghan really did want to be in Gryffindor like the rest of her family. She was always the rebellious one, but she doubted Meghan's tirade included plans to be put anywhere besides Gryffindor, which had been understood as the best house before she could even pronounce Gryffindor.

"I'd like to see that too," said Chloe, imagining her Uncle Percy's reaction for a moment.

She felt for the first time and last time, a pang of jealousy for her best friend and cousin. Meghan didn't have to worry about the sorting. She'd be in Gryffindor and that was all that was to it. Now, Chloe on the other hand simply had to be put in Gryffindor. She had to prove to herself and her father that she really was a Potter. Of course, if she was sorted anywhere else, the family would congratulate her as if it were normal. They never said it, but they all knew that she was the adopted one and she hadn't got into Gryffindor because she wasn't a real Potter. Her father had told her countless times, when she asked him about her sorting, that he didn't care what house she was put into. She was his daughter and he would be proud of her regardless. Chloe merely shrugged this off as a speech that she felt that her father had to make. All parents made those silly speeches…they really didn't want their children to be put in other houses. Chloe wanted to be put into Gryffindor so badly that it ached to think about it.

"You'll be put into Gryffindor," said Meghan, shaking Chloe out of her thoughts, "I'm serious."

Chloe nodded at her, not wishing to continue the pointless conversation. "Thanks, Meggy."

She pulled her knapsack into her lap and started searching for her book.

A rolled up parchment fell to the compartment floor and Chloe reached for it curiously.

It was a letter.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

To my dear readers:

Well, here we are again. Back at the beginning of a story with a Potter. More specifically, Miss Chloe Potter.

This sequel was never dreamed up for Lessons for Life until the readers asked for it. I found myself wanting to write one as I got closer and closer to the end of Lessons.

So I began to ask myself…can I grow up five-year old Chloe realistically? Can I make a Hogwarts fic without succumbing to any boring clichés? Can I twist something into a halfway interesting plotline? Can I actually write believable new characters that people will actually WANT to see?

We'll see all the old Lessons for Life characters, being as quirky as ever. (I can't leave Harry out of the story! Are you crazy?!) I'm fighting to keep all the Weasleys as prominent as ever and we'll see lots of crazy new people barging into the Harry Potter universe…the Chloe Potter branch anyway.

Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and its various affiliates. Without the brilliance of J.K. Rowling, PhoenixSong.net would never exist. The stories we've published here are manifestations of our appreciation for the world that she has created. That said, all fan fiction stories and artwork published on PhoenixSong.net are copyrighted by the listed authors and artists and may not be published or distributed elsewhere without the express permission of the authors and artists.

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